Saturday, June 26, 2010

BOY was it hot today. It was one of those sweltering summer days where all you want to do is hide inside in the air conditioning. Good thing I love my job right? This young man and his mom (and their awesome dog!) braved the heat to let me get some shots of them! So here is the sneak peek!

Friday, June 18, 2010

I had a ton of fun with this family - especially all the cute kiddos! They were very patient and fun to work with...and were even nice when I locked my keys in my car at the end of the session! Here are a few from this session!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

It's getting harder and harder to choose a photographer these days. Professional camera's are now widely available, which leads to everyone and their uncle being a photographer. There is so much more to the art of photography than the type of camera you own. BUT..that's a topic for another blog, so I digress. I did however, run across this article and thought it was very informative. I do not actually know that man behind Dan Edwards Photo, but he gets all the credit for the following article! It came from his blog...and here is the link!

5 Reasons Why You Should Always Hire A Professional Photographer

From my vantage point, it seems that people often waver on the idea of hiring a professional photographer. The subject comes up whenever its time to capture a special event in someones life. Be it a graduation, a new baby, a marriage, or a special birthday, people seem to wonder if it’s “worth it” to hire a professional. Often times it seems the first point of consternation is money. They wonder if they can get the same result without paying a Pro. Will it actually be “worth it” to spend the money for a pro? After all, we all know someone with a nice camera or have an uncle who is a hobbyist. Right?
Here are the top 5 reasons why you should forget your waffling and just call a Professional.

#5 – Even Pros hire Pros

Pros know that when you want the job done right, you hire a pro. So when it comes time for the special moments in the life of a pro, they do not hesitate to hire the best. No use in wondering if Uncle Phil will actually be able to pull off a good shot. Pros put their own minds at ease and just hire someone that they know will get the job done right.

#4 – The Right Stuff

While this statement includes professional level equipment, it is not limited to just the person’s gear. In today’s digital world, many amateurs are able to afford some very nice photography equipment. But just because they can afford the gear does not mean that they really know how to take advantage of it. In other words, just because they own it doesn’t mean that they have spent the same amount of time using it that a professional has. When something doesn’t work like expected, will they freak out? Will they know how to fix it? Will they have a backup? Will they have a work around? My bet is they’ll just miss the shot. Pros are pros for a reason. In their career, they’ve had everything that could possible go wrong on an assignment happen at one time or another. They have to learn from years of experience, adapt, and make sure they have backups and contingency plans to prevent these issues from happening on your special day. Chances are, Uncle Phil will not be able to manage in this scenario.

#3 – The Trained Eye

When you look at a Pro’s website notice how all the shots look fantastic. This is not a coincidence. Pros learn how to make these shots happen. They know where to stand for the right lighting. They know what direction you will be turning to get that special look. They know how to pose you to make you look the best you ever have. And they know how to make all that happen without taking up a lot of your time or getting in the way. Having the eye for the perfect shot and the timing capture it correctly takes years of training. Does Uncle Phil have all that or has he just been lucky a few times?

#2 – Get the Pick of the Litter

With the post processing advances that have come along with the digital age, photographers have been able to stretch their creative side and develop many different photographic styles. Chances are there is someone in your area that specializes in a look and style that you love. If you live in a large city then there are likely a few Pros that shoot with similar styles. This can only work to your advantage in that these photographers have spent countless amount of time perfecting their craft. Set up a meeting with a few of them and book whoever you gel with the best. It will make your experience personable, fun, and worry free. And that sounds a lot better than Uncle Phil hosing up all your photos while trying the “newest style” he saw online.

#1 – There is no expiration date on Regret

If you really want to know why it’s worth every penny to hire a pro, then just ask someone who decided to take the cheap route for their event. Those who skipped out and didn’t hired a pro will always have the poor quality photos to prove it. The sad fact is there are no re-dos on your special days. You only get one chance to get it right, and I promise you the person that didn’t hire the pro will always advise you to hire a professional going forward. If you don’t, there is a good chance you’ll end up with a lot of bad photos, a ton of regret, and no way to fix it. Why spend the rest of your life wishing that you had spent a little bit of money to make a lifetime of beautiful photos?

Monday, June 7, 2010

Well, as some know, we went on vacation on week ago, so between the planning, the actual vacation, and then getting everything in order after we got home, I haven't been posting very much!! But, I think I'm caught up now, so I'll be back to blogging! There is an awesome Father's Day Contest going on over on my Facebook Fan Page, so be sure to check it out...and keep an eye out for some new sneak peeks!!Here's some photos of our vacay!!